Basque Y

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Basque Y route map.

Basque Y is the name given to the AVE (Spanish high speed train) network being built between the three cities of the Basque Country Autonomous Community, Bilbao, Vitoria-Gasteiz and San Sebastián.

Characteristics

It will transport cargo and passengers. The cargo trains will go until the Port of Bilbao and the Port of Pasaia. It will consist of 157 kilometers of double track and 37 with a single track. Due to the mountainous relief of the region, 105,9 km (62%) will be in 80 tunnels and 10% in 71 bridges. The minimum speed is 90 km/h, the maximum on, 230 km/h.

The connections to other networks.

It will reach Madrid through Valladolid and the French SNCF through Irun. While the French high-speed TGV is not planned to touch Hendaye until 2020, the Hendaye-Bordeaux track allows 200 km/h. The network will also include a connection to the Navarrese Corridor, the high speed train line projected between Zaragoza and the capital of Navarre, Pamplona.

In December 2007, the Basque Y appears as "under construction" (yellow) in the AVE map.

An agreement on 25 April 2006 puts the section between Vitoria and Bilbao under Spanish control (through ADIF), and the section in Guipuscoa province under Basque control.^[1] It will be the costliest investment in the Basque country. The Spanish and the Basque Governments will pay 4,000 million euros. The works started in 2006 and are projected to end in 2013-2015.

Travel time comparisons

It will take well under one hour to connect the cities while the current slower network takes from 1 h 40 min to 2.5 hours.

Stations

• Bilbao-Abando
• Vitoria-Dato
• Irún
• San Sebastián-Norte
• Ezkio-Itsaso
• Euba

Preparation

It took 15 years from the first proposals of a Basque high-speed network to the detailed project. The disagreements between the series of Spanish and Basque governments and who would bear the costs were the main issues. Through the Basque tax agreement (Concierto) the Spanish government will pay the advanced payment by the Basque government.

Benefits

It will ease mobility between the Basque capitals. The cargo traffic will remove lorries from the roads. To reduce the environmental impact, the layout avoids the natural areas of Aizkorri, Urkiola and Aralar.

Criticism

It is not clear how important is the connection to France for the European Union. The unprecedented earthworks and expropriations may affect Basque agriculture. The official Y-shaped layout has been approved by the Basque Parliament, but criticised by Ezker Batua-Berdeak, a coalition of the Basque branch of United Left and ecologists, part of the Basque Government. EB proposes an U-shaped layout^[2][3]. It has also been criticised by leftist Basque nationalists and ecologists. The Basque armed group ETA has the works as one of its targets^[4], but has not attacked them yet. A demonstration against the train gathered thousands to Mondragón in December 2007.

References

1. ^ Basque and Spanish Governments sign Y Railway Project agreement. eitb24 (2006-04-25). Retrieved on 2006-04-27.
2. ^ El TAV, Ezker Batua y la transversalidad, Javier Madrazo, 10 November 2007.
3. ^ EB califica de "ecologistas de pacotilla" y "gamberros de patio" a quienes han puesto silicona en la cerradura de la sede de Bilbao, 28 December 2007.
4. ^ ETA convierte las obras del Tren de Alta Velocidad en un objetivo estratégico, Óscar B. de Otálora, El Diario Vasco, 4th November 2007.

External links

• Official website of the project.
• AHT Ez. Basque opposition to high-speed trains.
• Parody site criticizing the Basque Y